Seeking Solitude
by badly-knitted
Summary: As much as Ryo loves being with Dee, sometimes he just needs some time by himself. Written for Prompt 508: Solitude at slashthedrabble. Set after Like Like Love.


**Title:** Seeking Solitude

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Ryo, Dee

 **Rating:** PG

 **Setting:** After Like Like Love.

 **Summary:** As much as Ryo loves being with Dee, sometimes he just needs some time by himself.

 **Word Count:** 750

 **Written For:** Prompt 508: Solitude at slashthedrabble.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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Ryo loved Dee, completely and utterly, and he was genuinely happy to be living with the man who'd won his heart, at least most of the time, but just occasionally he missed having his own place where he could shut himself away in perfect solitude and just do whatever he wanted without having to take anyone else into account.

Living with Bikky had been a similar experience, except that the boy usually preferred to be out with friends when he wasn't at school, rather than hanging around the apartment with his foster father. Even when Bikky and Ryo had both been at home Ryo had known he could always shut himself in his bedroom, put his feet up, and read, away from the blaring TV or the noisy sound effects from Bikky's computer games, but sharing an apartment with his lover was another matter entirely. Getting time alone was so much harder, and because they slept together, the bedroom no longer provided Ryo with a convenient refuge the way it used to.

While they were occasionally assigned to different shifts, most days they worked together, and when they weren't working, they'd usually be at home together, or out somewhere together, even if all they were doing was the grocery shopping. Even when Dee went to the orphanage to visit Mother, Ryo usually went with him. He enjoyed spending time with the nun and her charges; she had so many stories to tell him about Dee as a boy, and whenever Ryo found himself missing Bikky, playing with the orphans never failed to cheer him up.

Some evenings, Dee would go out with friends, leaving Ryo at home alone; other times it would be the other way around with Ryo going out and Dee staying home, but the rest of the time it seemed to Ryo, having been used to spending time alone, that his partner was always there. If Dee was home the TV would usually be on, or the radio, or the stereo, and whatever else happened to be going on, chances were Dee would be talking to him or, insatiable horndog that he was, trying to seduce him. Not that Ryo didn't enjoy sex; he'd long since gotten to the point where more often than not he welcomed his lover's advances, but there were times when he was too tired, or too sore, or just not in the mood. Dee never forced his attentions on him, and always accepted Ryo's refusals with reasonably good grace although he seldom tried to hide his disappointment, but Ryo still often found himself feeling guilty for saying no, which was dumb. Just because they lived together didn't mean he always had to do what Dee wanted. Dee didn't own him, any more than Ryo owned Dee.

"Hey, there you are! You disappeared; I was startin' to get worried. What're you doin' up here all alone?" a familiar voice called; footsteps crunched across the gravel towards Ryo.

Damn, Dee had found him! Ryo had come up on the roof to think, but now… For a moment he resented the intrusion. Was there nowhere he could go for five minutes without being followed? He brushed that petulant thought aside and turned to face his lover.

"Being all alone," he replied with a sheepish smile. "I just wanted some peace and quiet so I could hear myself think, a little time to myself."

"Dumbass," Dee accused. "You should'a just said. I could'a gone out for a bit; you didn't have to run up here to get away from me."

"I wasn't getting away from you, I just…"

"Sometimes you need some time to yourself, I get it. Livin' with someone is a big adjustment. You can always shut yourself in Bikky's room y'know; it's pretty well soundproofed and I promise I wouldn't disturb ya there. Just let me know before ya disappear so I don't think you've been abducted or somethin'." Dee gave him a peck on the lips. "I'll leave ya to your thoughts."

Ryo smiled. "Thanks, Dee. I love you."

"Love you too, babe. Enjoy your solitude." Dee headed back to the stairwell and Ryo relaxed. Why had he thought Dee wouldn't understand? Living together must be as strange for him as it was for Ryo; they both needed to give each other space now and then, and that was okay, it didn't mean they loved each other any less. Leaning on the parapet, Ryo let the evening breeze blow his cares away.

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The End


End file.
